Fort Wayne, Indiana – Allen County leaders met Friday morning to discuss the new Allen County Jail and what residents can expect from it.
The meeting took place at the Allen County Bar Association on Calhoun Street.
During the meeting, Allen County Sheriff Troy Hershberger emphasized the new jail’s efficiency, claiming that the current jail lacks it.
Add-ons to the current jail have provided temporary relief, but they do not support future expansion.
“The original structure was built in 1981. “And then it was added to several times since,” Sheriff Hershberger explained. “So it has essentially become, what I consider, a hodgepodge mess.”
The new Allen County Jail is currently under construction at 2911 Meyer Road. It sits on 140 acres of land, and the building is approximately 400,000 square feet. The project will increase the county jail’s capacity from 731 to 1,300 beds. The central building is designed to accommodate up to 3,000 beds in the future, with room for expansion.
The facility is designed with a one-level pod system, allowing fewer staff members to monitor more inmates.
“There is a reason why it is only one level. Prisoners flood cells. “Water comes down,” Sheriff Hershberger explained. “So in this particular case, the only people that it’ll affect as their own cell.”
He added, “As Commissioner Beck stated, all utilities are behind the cells. The cells are interlocked together like a Lego system and serve as the building’s integrity structure. So the utilities are all in a catwalk in the back. So if anything needs to be addressed, it won’t disrupt the prisoner flow.”
The jail has specialized housing for inmates with medical and/or mental health needs, with a phased approach to reintegration into the general population. It will also include programming areas inside housing units for rehabilitation programs such as GED classes and addiction treatment. The new jail will also have better technological infrastructure, allowing for faster internet access and overall operations.
The construction is on track to be completed in December 2027, with a transition period planned to relocate inmates to the new facility.
